Quenching or washing apparatus and the like



QUENCHING OR WASHING APPARATUS AND THE LIKE Filed April 26, 1926 INVENTOR ffl/4f ML] ATTORNEY Y l 1,601,497- E.-A G; GREENE Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,601,497 PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER G. GREENE, 0F CLEVELAND,- OHIO.

QUENCHING OR WASHING .APIARATUS AND THE LIKE.

Application led April 26,

This invention relates to the treatment of articles with a iuid, such l as in quenching or washing, and more particularly to apparatus for use in such treatment.

In treating articles with a liquid, such as in the quenching, washing and the like of metal parts, the apparatus employed has frequently included a rotating drum partially submerged in the liquid. It is very desirable that such a drum be supported during rotation by supporting means out of contact with the liquid, in order that the liquid itself may not deteriorate said supporting means, and whereby any sediment or the like disposed in the liquid may not seriously affect the bearing surfaces of such supporting means.

An -object of my invention is to provide means for supporting a rotating drum in a liquid, said means being disposed above the l'level of said liquid.

Another object .of the invention is to `provide suitable portions to assist in supporting a rota-ry drum in quenching or washing apparatus and the like, said portions being dislposed for ready lubrication.

further object of this invention is to provide a suitable supporting means for an inclined drum rotatable in a liquid bath, .said supporting means including rollers adapted to be maintained free from any deteriorating action by said liquid. Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of it hereinafter given.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a common form of quenching or washing apparatus provided with supporting means contemplated by my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 ofv Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an Venlarged sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

1n the past, drums rotatin in liquid baths have frequently been partial y supported by rollers' disposed adjacent the bottom of such baths in cooperative relation to the exterior of the drums. Such rollers have generally proved unsatisfactory, due to the deterioratingaction of the liquid itself upon the rollers and due to the harmful action on the bearing surfaces of such rollers by sediment accumulated in said liquid, such as, for ex- 1926. Serial No. 104,650.

ample, by scale accumulated from quenched artlcles. Moreover, except when the liquid bath is itself a lubricant, it has been practically impossible to lubricate the bearing portions of such submerged rollers.

My invention contemplates the support of a rotary drum in quenching or Washing apparatus and the like by supporting or suspending means including rollers disposed substantially above the liquid level of -the apparatus. Such rollers are preferably arranged to cooperate with an annular member disposed about and connected to said drum, whereby the drum may be advantageously supported in a substantially rigid manner. In the drawings is illustrated supporting means according to my invention arranged in cooperative relation to a quenching vor washing apparatus. The said apparatus is shown 'as comprising a liquid con# taining tank 1, which tank may be of any suitable form and may be-provided with liq `uid inlets and outlets (not shown). The.

liquid 2 within the tank 1 may be of any suitable character, such as, for example, water, oil, washing compound or the like. Extending downwardly into the container 1 is the hollow perforated drum 3. Into the lower end thereof articles to be quenched or washed are fed, said articles being conveyed upwardly through the drum and discharged at the upper end thereof, as will be further described hereinafter. is shown as partially submerged in the liquid 2; At the upper end of the drum 3 is shown a head 4 provided with a discharge aperture 5. xtendin upwardly from the head 4 is the axially isposed shaft 6, which is journaled in the bearing block 7 and which is provided at its upper end with a thrust collar 8 .and a bevel gear 9. The longitudinal thrust of the drum 3 is carried by the bearing block 7. The bevel gear 9 cooperates with the bevel gear 10 mounted on the transverse shaft 11, on which shaft 11 is also mounted the. pulley 12. The drum 3 may be rotated by drivingthe pulley 12.

The drum 3l is shown as rotatably sup-- ported remote from its upper end by mechanism of my invention. Thus, the rollers 13 are disposed adjacent the upper side of the drum 3 andare rotatably carried by the support 14, which support is independent of the drum, and is shown as comprising an angle bar rigidly attached to t e sides of the container 1. The angle The drum 3 bar 14 may be cut away as at.15, to conform to the shape of the drum 3. The surfaces 13av of the rollers 13 cooperate with the inner surface 16 of the concentric annular portion or ring 17 carried by the drum 3. In the drawings, therollers13 are shown ascup-shaped, having a closed outer wall 13b. I

The rollers 13 may be mounted on the support 14 in any suitable manner, an advantageous construction being illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, wherein an apertured pin 18, threaded at its outer end, maintains a cylindrical plate 19 in non-rotative relation against the angle bar 14by a nut 20. The inner ball race 21a of a ball-bearing 21 is mounted on the outer end of the pin` 18 and the outer ball race' 21b of the ball bearing 21 closely engages the rollers., Outwardly of the nut 20 the pin 18 carries a -lubricating fixture 22 of' a well-known form. The lubricant, such asgrease or oil, may thus be introduced through the fixture 22, .whereby said lubricant passes through 1 the aperture.l in the pin 18, throughl the space 23 between the outer end of the -pin 18 and the outer wall 13*1 of the rollers 13.

The lubricant then passes between-"the wardly of the, roller through the small space 25 between the. rollers 13 and the plate 19. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a roller structure which may be eiiciently lubricated, and into which roller structure liquid 2 cannot enter to deteriorate the bearing surfaces, due to the fact thatsuch liquid can reach the bearing surfaces of the roller structure only by passing through the annular space 25, which passage is efectually opposed by lubricant leaving the roller structure through said passage 25. Furthermore, in the particular form of apparatus illustrated, any liquid 2 would also be prevented from entering the interior of the roller 13, by reason of the -fact that the roller is disposed in inclined position, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1.

The annular ring 17 is shown as pro. vided with a depending flange 26. Straps 27, together with suitable fastening means, serve to connect the annular ring 14 to the drum 3. It will be noted that the ring 14 may be disposed about the drum 3 in any suitable manner. Thus, the said ring 14 may, if desired, form a part of an integral collar disposed about the drum 3.

Adjacent the lower end of the drum is shown a funnel 28 carried by the container 1, whereby articles 29 to be treated may be disposed in the lower end of the drum 3. Articles 29 may be carried upwardly of the drum during the rotation thereof by a spiral' conveyor 30- disposed within the drum. The articles 29 are discharged from the upper end of the drum through the aperture 5 in the head 4 and may be collected in a container 31 supported by suitable means 32 disposed beneath the discharge end of the drum 3. 1 y

It will be understood that any desired number of rollers 13 andannular rings 14 may be employed to support a rotating drum ina liquid bath and may cooperate with said drum at any yesired portion thereof. The rotating drum, moreover, may be disposed in any desired position, such as with its axis horizontal or in an inclined position.

Supportingmeans of my invention may be employed, moreover, to support rotating drums in various forms of apparatus, such as, for example, quenching, washing or pickling apparatus and'the like, in which apparatus the quenching,- washing or picklingv solutions or material contained therein cannot deleteriously affect the roller structures of my invention or the I bearings thereof.

invention as defined in the appended 1. In quenching or washing apparatus and the like, in combination, a fluid container, a drum rotatable in said container, and means for suspending said vdrum in saidcontainer, said means including an annular portion provided with an inwardly facing cooperative surface, said portion being disposed about and connected, to said` drum, anda roller cooperating with'said cooperative surface of said annular portion to suspend said drum, said rolle'r being disposed substantially above the Huid level of said container and supported by supporting means 'independent of said drum.

2. In vquenching or washing apparatus and the like, in combination, a container adapted to contain liquid, a drum rotatable in said liquid, and means for suspending said drum in said container, said means including an annular portion disposedaabout and connected to said drum, and rollers cooperating with said annular portion'to support said drum, said rollers being disposed adjacent the upper side of said drum and supported by means independent of said drum.

3. In uenching or washing apparatus and the like, 1n combination, a container adapted to contain liquid, a drum adapted to be partially submerged in said liquid and to be rotated in said container, means for suspending said drum in said container, and means for rotating said drum, said suspending means includin an annular portion kdisposed about sai drum with the axis of said portion substantially coincident with the axis of said drum, said portion being connected to said drum, and a plurality of rollers cooperable with said annular portion to support said drum in substantially rigid manner said rollers being disposed substantially above the liquid level of said container and supported by means carried by said container.

4. In combination with a liquid container and a drum rotatable therein, means for supporting said drum in rotative relation in said container including an annular portion disposed about .said drum, spaced from said 'drum and connected thereto, said annular portion having an inner cooperative surface, and a pair o f spaced rollers cooperating with the cooperative surface of said annular portion to rigidly support said drum, said rollers being disposed adjacent the upper side of said drum and supported by means independent thereof.

5. In combination with a liquid container y and an inclined drum extending thereinto and rotatable therein, means for supporting said drum in rotative relation within said container comprising thrust bearing mechanism disposed adjacent the upper end of said drum, and additional supporting mechanism comprising an annular portion disposed concentrically about said drum, spaced therefrom and connected thereto, and a plurality' of rollers disposed substantially above the liquid level of the said container and cooperating with said annular portion, said.

rollers being supported by means independent of said drum. i

6. In quenching'or washing apparatus and the like, in combination, a container adaptedl tocontain liquid, an inclined perforated drumextendipg downwardly into'said container, means for rotating said drum, means for introducing material into the lower end of said drum, means for conveyin said material upwardly of said drum uring the rotation thereof, and means'for supportipg said drum including an annular portlon disposed about said drum, spaced there from and connected thereto, and a plurality of spaced rollers cooperating with said annular ring, said rollers being disposed substantially above the liquid level of said container,

and supported by means carried by said container.

7. In quenching or washing apparatus and the like, in combination, a liquid container, an inclined hollow perforated drum extending downwardly into said container, a shaft extending outwardly and axially of said drumat the upper end thereof, thrust bearing mechanism disposed in cooperative relatherefrom, and connected thereto, said portion having an inner cooperating surface, and a pair of rollers disposed substantially above the liquid level of said container and supported by means carried by` said container, said rollers cooperating with thel inner surface of said annular portion to thereby support said drum in a substantially rigid manner.

8. In quenching or washing apparatus and the like, in combination, a container adapted to contain liquid, an inclined hollow`perforated drum extending downwardly into said container and suspended above the bottom ofv said container, an axial shaft fixed to said drum and extending outwardlygof said drum at the upper end thereof, thrust bearing mechanism disposed in cooperative relation to said shaft for suspending said drum, means for rotating said shaft, means for introducing material into the lower end of said drum, a spiral conveyor disposed Within said drum adjacent the inner walls thereof for conveying said material upward` ly and outwardly of said drum during the rotation thereof, and additional means for suspending said drum including an annular portion dlsposed about said drum, s aced therefrom, and connected thereto, sai portion having an inner cooperatin surface, and a pair of rollers disposed adjacent the upper side of said drum and rotatively mounted by means of frictionless bearings on -a member supported by said container, said frictionless bearings being disposed above the level of the liquid in the container to prevent deterioration thereof, said rollers cooperating with the inner surface of said annular portion to thereby support said drum in a substantially rigid manner.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ELMER. GREENE. 

